Traditional demand planning tools were built for a slower world. In today’s high-velocity CPG environment, waiting days or weeks for retail data means missed sales, rising stockouts, and overstuffed inventory. But what if brands could detect market shifts in real time and respond before the next order even hits?This week, host Ellen Wood sits down with Joel Beal, CEO and Co-founder of Alloy.ai, to explore how real-time retail feedback is changing the game for supply chain and logistics teams. Joel shares how Alloy’s platform helps CPG brands integrate messy retailer data, spot early demand spikes, and generate prescriptive recommendations that drive both revenue and resilience. He also unpacks the critical role of clean data, agile infrastructure, and change-ready culture in unlocking next-level forecasting and replenishment.In this episode:

• What’s broken in traditional forecasting and inventory planning
• Why retail feedback is the most valuable signal CPGs aren’t using
• How real-time visibility helps avoid lost sales and stockouts
• The mindset shift required to move from static plans to responsive supply chains